Interview: Yosuke Aizawa of White Mountaineering talks his first collab with UNIQLO

In anticipation of the launch of UNIQLO and White Mountaineering Collaboration Line, Yosuke Aizawa unfolds the story behind the project: 

How did your first ever collaboration with UNIQLO come about?

I've always had a vague idea of "family" in my mind. When I was approached for this project, I thought that I could combine the "family" theme as well as my ideal as a fashion designer with the UNIQLO concept of LifeWear that is made for all.

Why did you choose outerwear and fleece for your collaboration with UNIQLO?

Especially in Japan, fleece has become widely known and popular through UNIQLO. I wanted to address head-on with UNIQLO the question of how to design such fleece and what I should pursue in the process of making. In terms of outdoor wear, this is a core item for me, and I thought it was important that both sides exhibit their respective strengths. I believe it’s the answer to the question of new possibilities.

How did you translate the style of White Mountaineering, which crosses over urban life and outdoor into this collection?

Sport and outdoor details can be used effectively in your daily life, such as going to a park or taking a walk. By bringing together various elements such as materials suitable for movement and functions such as heat retention, rather than creating fashion item that just ‘looks’ cool, I believe I was able to provide UNIQLO with feedback from the technology and knowledge White Mountaineering have cultivated in the field of outdoor activities.

“Easy to move and comfortable to wear” is the keyword of the collection.  What details and design points did you focus on?

One of my beliefs about making clothes is on the premise that ‘people move’. Even when sitting in a chair, whether you are driving a car or walking, some joints are always bent. I don’t think human beings are not just standing upright all the time. 

Clothes that are difficult to move in or make me feel stressed are not what I am looking for. Something that just looks cool is not really fashion for me. I wanted the outerwear I made with UNIQLO to follow that same line. The emphasis should be on clothing that you forget you are even wearing. When creating patterns and designs I considered ways to reduce stress around the sleeves and shoulders.

I thought deeply about how I can apply the outdoor and sports details that I have cultivated over the years at White Mountaineering to UNIQLO, which are clothes that can be worn by diverse people and not limited to anyone. I believe that the new UNIQLO clothing was born from the three-dimensional cutting that I incorporated in this collection.

Incorporating outdoor elements into fashion is an area pioneered by White Mountaineering. How did you get interested in the outdoors?

My love of the outdoors came from my father. We would go fishing and camping, and on the ride home listen to the country music he loved. I have more memories of going places with my dad than I do with friends. The things he taught me are what made me the person I am today, and I want to do the same for my own children. I want to create bonds and ways of thinking that span generations.

The outdoors is becoming an increasingly common aspect of lifestyles in Japan and around the world. What changes do you see going forward?

I think that outdoor activities will be even more important in the future. I don’t mean in a stoic way, but in the sense of readily incorporating a harmony with nature into our lives. One of the problems of modern society is the fast pace of life, making it difficult to see what’s around you. It’s important to stop for a bit and take a more balanced approach to spending time on work, pleasure, and family.

I have worked in this industry as a fashion designer for many years, and I know that if you focus only on work, it becomes difficult to discern the essence of making products. This is true not only for designers but many other types of work, and I think that the degree to which you incorporate the idea of “play” into your life has a huge impact. As the coronavirus pandemic has curtailed the freedom of urban life, I think many people have recognized the closeness of outdoor life.

White Mountaineering has even exhibited at Paris Fashion Week. What do you think are your strengths as a Japanese designer active overseas?

 I think one such strength is the long-established cultural value of fashion in Japan. I am 43 years old now, and I’ve seen various types of culture take root and grow for as long as I can remember. The arena of Japan that grew out of a cultural mix, including music and art, naturally enhanced my potential as a designer. It’s interesting how that culture spread around the world and has now become the standard. A characteristically Japanese attention to detail is also an advantage.

Japan’s culture of kimono and other textiles has flourished since long ago, and magnificent materials are still being developed in Japan today. I think that the combining of technological aspects with potential as culture is one of the reasons my work has been appreciated outside Japan.

The world has changed considerably during the coronavirus pandemic. What impact do you think this has had on fashion? Have there been any changes in your own designs?

 There have clearly been major changes. Specifically, we couldn’t take the runway at Paris Fashion Week, and overseas work has been severely limited. The impact on design potential has been significant, but personally I try to think this in a positive way. Modern society is a world that only allows people to go forward, and now we’ve been given the chance to pause, and look inward.

The same is true for the fashion cycle. The thinking has shifted from a focus on well-designed items or trendy items that will sell well, to questions that need to be considered by the creator, such as why they make clothes, why these items bring people happiness, and what aspects of the future of clothing are right before our eyes. I also think we’ve been able to think about the meaning of making something new.

Before considering any of the key concepts of fashion design, such as making something that you feel satisfied with rather than something to be seen by others or focusing on items suitable any occasion rather than a conscious design, I think this is valuable time to think about the joy of making things.

Where do you typically get your inspiration for designs?

I've set up ateliers in Daikanyama, Tokyo and in Nagano, so I’m often thinking about things while surrounded by nature. Rather than coming up with something specific, I sometimes feel what I see and apply it to my next creative activity.

When I was young, naturally I was extremely interested in catching up with the latest news and information, but now instead I block all of that out, and spend more time thinking about ideas.

If there were no coronavirus-related restrictions, where would you most like to visit?

I want to take a trip to the world’s snow‐covered mountains, like those in the pictures in LifeWear magazine.

What are your thoughts regarding sustainability in fashion?

White Mountaineering endeavors to make clothes that can be worn as long as possible, in part from a sustainability perspective. UNIQLO also has a system that allows customers to return purchased items they no longer need to the store for recycling. This is part of the “cycle of sustainability” analogous to the idea of hand-me-downs, but it only starts when someone takes the first step. The systems for reusing and recycling are still being developed, but I think it’s a positive thing that one day, my entire family and I will be able to take UNIQLO items we no longer need, even the innerwear I’m now wearing or pieces from this current collection, to a UNIQLO store and place them in a recycling box. For these clothes, the future is bright.